Time domain resource allocation for downlink shared channel

ABSTRACT

A mechanism for time domain resource allocation for downlink shared channel, in which the time domain resource is allocated according to CORESET configurations when SS/PBCH block and RMSI CORESET are multiplexed with Type 1, Type 2 or Type 3 pattern.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 16/336,087,filed Mar. 22, 2019, which is a National stage of InternationalApplication No. PCT/CN2019/075284, filed Feb. 15, 2019, which claimspriority to International Application No. PCT/CN2018/076919, filed Feb.16, 2018, which are all hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to wireless communication and, in particular, tomethods and apparatus for allocation of time domain resources fordownlink shared channel.

BACKGROUND

In order to connect to a network, a device needs to acquire networksynchronization and obtain essential system information (SI) includingSI in master information block (MIB) and remaining minimum systeminformation (RMSI). Synchronization signals are used for adjusting thefrequency of the device relative to the network, and for finding propertiming of the received signal from the network. A control resource set(CORESET) is configured in MIB, which can be used to transmit PDCCHscheduling some broadcasting messages, including RMSI, other systeminformation (OSI), paging messages and random-access response (RAR)messages.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, a method is implemented at a network node,wherein the network node allocates downlink shared channel in timedomain at least according to Control Resource Set (CORESET)configurations.

According to another embodiment, a method is implemented at a UserEquipment (UE), wherein UE determines downlink shared channel in timedomain at least according to Control Resource Set (CORESET)configurations.

According to another embodiment, a method utilizes shared channel intime domain at least according to Control Resource Set (CORESET)configurations, wherein the CORESET configuration is determined byCORSET position and wherein the CORSET position is configured by PBCH.

According to another embodiment, a method of PDSCH time domainallocation provides for allocating PDSCH based on RMSI CORESETconfiguration.

According to another embodiment, a method for signaling for time domainallocation of PDSCH before RRC connection according to a RMSI CORESETconfiguration from PBCH is based on, when SS/PBCH block and RMSI CORESETare multiplexed with Type 2 pattern, signaling that PDSCH starts from afirst symbol of SS/PBCH block and ends with a last symbol of SS/PBCHblock.

According to another embodiment, a method for signaling for time domainallocation of PDSCH before RRC connection according to a RMSI CORESETconfigurations from PBCH, is based on, when SS/PBCH block and RMSICORESET are multiplexed with Type 3 pattern, signaling that PDSCH startsimmediately after a last symbol of RMSI CORESET and ends with a lastsymbol of SS/PBCH block.

According to another embodiment, a method for signaling for time domainallocation of PDSCH before RRC connection according to a RMSI CORESETconfigurations from PBCH, is disclosed for Type 1 pattern. When SS/PBCHblock and RMSI CORESET are multiplexed with Type 1 pattern, if CORESETstarts from a first symbol of one normal slot then for non-slot-basedscheduling, signaling is based on PDSCH starting immediately afterCORESET; and for slot-based scheduling, signaling is based on PDSCHstarting immediately after CORESET till an end of the slot. Else,utilizing non-slot-based scheduling and signaling that PDSCH starts froma first available symbol immediately after CORESET.

According to another embodiment, a method for signaling for flexiblelength of PDSCH or a gap between RMSI CORSET and PDSCH.

In an aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented at a User Equipment(UE) is provided comprising determining time domain resources fordownlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented at a UserEquipment (UE) is provided comprising utilizing time domain resourcesfor downlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations, wherein the CORESET configuration isdetermined by a CORESET position and the CORESET position is configuredby Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented at a networknode is provided comprising allocating time domain resources fordownlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations.

In aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented at a network node isprovided comprising utilizing time domain resources for downlink sharedchannel at least according to Control Resource Set (CORESET)configurations, wherein the CORESET configuration is determined by aCORESET position and the CORESET position is configured by PhysicalBroadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented at a networknode is provided comprising signaling time domain resources allocationfor Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) according to RemainingMinimum System Information (RMSI) Control Resource Set (CORESET)configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus implemented in a UserEquipment (UE) is provided comprising one or more processors and one ormore memories comprising computer program codes, wherein the one or morememories and the computer program codes are configured to, with the oneor more processors, cause the apparatus to determine time domainresources for downlink shared channel at least according to ControlResource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus implemented in a UserEquipment (UE) is provided comprising one or more processors and one ormore memories comprising computer program codes, wherein the one or morememories and the computer program codes are configured to, with the oneor more processors, cause the apparatus to utilize time domain resourcesfor downlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations, wherein the CORESET configuration isdetermined by a CORESET position and the CORESET position is configuredby Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus implemented in anetwork node is provided comprising one or more processors, and one ormore memories comprising computer program codes, wherein the one or morememories and the computer program codes are configured to, with the oneor more processors, cause the apparatus to allocate time domainresources for downlink shared channel at least according to ControlResource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus implemented in anetwork node is provided comprising one or more processors and one ormore memories comprising computer program codes, wherein the one or morememories and the computer program codes are configured to, with the oneor more processors, cause the apparatus to utilize time domain resourcesfor downlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations, wherein the CORESET configuration isdetermined by a CORESET position and the CORESET position is configuredby Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus implemented in anetwork node is provided comprising one or more processors and one ormore memories comprising computer program codes, wherein the one or morememories and the computer program codes are configured to, with the oneor more processors, cause the apparatus to signal time domain resourcesallocation for Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) according toRemaining Minimum System Information (RMSI) Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a computer readable medium isprovided having computer program codes embodied thereon, wherein thecomputer program codes comprise codes for performing the methodsaccording to above aspects of the disclosure.

In an aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus implemented in a UserEquipment (UE) is provided comprising means for determining time domainresources for downlink shared channel at least according to ControlResource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus implemented in a UserEquipment (UE) is provided comprising means for utilizing time domainresources for downlink shared channel at least according to ControlResource Set (CORESET) configurations, wherein the CORESET configurationis determined by a CORESET position and the CORESET position isconfigured by Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus implemented in anetwork node is provided comprising means for allocating time domainresources for downlink shared channel at least according to ControlResource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus implemented in a network nodeis provided comprising means for utilizing time domain resources fordownlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations, wherein the CORESET configuration isdetermined by a CORESET position and the CORESET position is configuredby Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus implemented in anetwork node is provided comprising means for signaling time domainresources allocation for Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH)according to Remaining Minimum System Information (RMSI) ControlResource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a base station configured tocommunicate with a user equipment (UE) is provided. The base stationcomprises a radio interface and processing circuitry configured toallocate time domain resources for downlink shared channel at leastaccording to Control Resource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a base station configured tocommunicate with a user equipment (UE) is provided. The base stationcomprises a radio interface and processing circuitry configured toutilize time domain resources for downlink shared channel at leastaccording to Control Resource Set (CORESET) configurations, wherein theCORESET configuration is determined by a CORESET position and theCORESET position is configured by Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, a base station configured tocommunicate with a user equipment (UE) is provided. The base stationcomprises a radio interface and processing circuitry configured tosignal time domain resources allocation for Physical Downlink SharedChannel (PDSCH) according to Remaining Minimum System Information (RMSI)Control Resource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a communication system including ahost computer comprising processing circuitry configured to provide userdata and a communication interface configured to forward the user datato a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE) isprovided. The cellular network comprises a base station having a radiointerface and processing circuitry. The base station's processingcircuitry is configured to allocate time domain resources for downlinkshared channel at least according to Control Resource Set (CORESET)configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a communication system including ahost computer comprising processing circuitry configured to provide userdata and a communication interface configured to forward the user datato a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE) isprovided. The cellular network comprises a base station having a radiointerface and processing circuitry. The base station's processingcircuitry is configured to utilize time domain resources for downlinkshared channel at least according to Control Resource Set (CORESET)configurations, wherein the CORESET configuration is determined by aCORESET position and the CORESET position is configured by PhysicalBroadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, a communication system including ahost computer comprising processing circuitry configured to provide userdata and a communication interface configured to forward the user datato a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE) isprovided. The cellular network comprises a base station having a radiointerface and processing circuitry. The base station's processingcircuitry is configured to signal time domain resources allocation forPhysical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) according to Remaining MinimumSystem Information (RMSI) Control Resource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented in a basestation is provided comprising allocating time domain resources fordownlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented in a basestation is provided comprising utilizing time domain resources fordownlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations, wherein the CORESET configuration isdetermined by a CORESET position and the CORESET position is configuredby Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented in a basestation is provided comprising signaling time domain resourcesallocation for Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) according toRemaining Minimum System Information (RMSI) Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented in acommunication system including a host computer, a base station and auser equipment (UE) is provided. The method comprises: at the hostcomputer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating atransmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular networkcomprising the base station, wherein the base station allocates timedomain resources for downlink shared channel at least according toControl Resource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented in acommunication system including a host computer, a base station and auser equipment (UE) is provided. The method comprises: at the hostcomputer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating atransmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular networkcomprising the base station, wherein the base station utilize timedomain resources for downlink shared channel at least according toControl Resource Set (CORESET) configurations, wherein the CORESETconfiguration is determined by a CORESET position and the CORESETposition is configured by Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented in acommunication system including a host computer, a base station and auser equipment (UE) is provided. The method comprises: at the hostcomputer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating atransmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular networkcomprising the base station, wherein the base station signals timedomain resources allocation for Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH)according to Remaining Minimum System Information (RMSI) ControlResource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a user equipment (UE) configured tocommunicate with a base station is provided. The UE comprises a radiointerface and processing circuitry configured to determine time domainresources for downlink shared channel at least according to ControlResource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a user equipment (UE) configured tocommunicate with a base station is provided. The UE comprises a radiointerface and processing circuitry configured to utilize time domainresources for downlink shared channel at least according to ControlResource Set (CORESET) configurations, wherein the CORESET configurationis determined by a CORESET position and the CORESET position isconfigured by Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, a communication system including ahost computer comprising processing circuitry configured to provide userdata and a communication interface configured to forward user data to acellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE) is provided.The UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry. The UE'sprocessing circuitry is configured to determine time domain resourcesfor downlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a communication system including ahost computer comprising processing circuitry configured to provide userdata and a communication interface configured to forward user data to acellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE) is provided.The UE comprises a radio interface and processing circuitry. The UE'sprocessing circuitry is configured to utilize time domain resources fordownlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations, wherein the CORESET configuration isdetermined by a CORESET position and the CORESET position is configuredby Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented in a userequipment (UE) is provided comprising determining time domain resourcesfor downlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented in a userequipment (UE) is provided comprising utilizing time domain resourcesfor downlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set(CORESET) configurations, wherein the CORESET configuration isdetermined by a CORESET position and the CORESET position is configuredby Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented in acommunication system including a host computer, a base station and auser equipment (UE) is provided. The method comprises: at the hostcomputer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating atransmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular networkcomprising the base station, wherein the UE determines time domainresources for downlink shared channel at least according to ControlResource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a method implemented in acommunication system including a host computer, a base station and auser equipment (UE) is provided. The method comprises: at the hostcomputer, providing user data; and at the host computer, initiating atransmission carrying the user data to the UE via a cellular networkcomprising the base station, wherein the UE utilizes time domainresources for downlink shared channel at least according to ControlResource Set (CORESET) configurations, wherein the CORESET configurationis determined by a CORESET position and the CORESET position isconfigured by Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH).

Embodiments of the disclosure are provided for the allocation of timedomain resources for downlink shared channel according to the CORESETconfigurations, which reduces or even eliminates need for signaling inDCI.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure may best be understood by referring to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings that are used to illustrate thevarious embodiments. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of SS/PBCH block symbols in slots, where eachsmall box is an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) symboland where dark symbols are mapped;

FIG. 2 shows a diagram of SS burst set in slots within 5 ms, where eachbox is a slot and where dark slots are mapped;

FIG. 3 shows a diagram of SS/PBCH block and CORESET configured by PBCHmultiplexing types of Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 with some embodiments;

FIG. 4 shows a diagram illustrating PDCCH monitoring windows in RMSICORSET when M=1 with some embodiments;

FIG. 5 shows a diagram illustrating PDCCH monitoring windows in RMSICORSET when M=½ with some embodiments;

FIG. 6 shows a wireless network in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 7 shows a user Equipment in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 8 shows a virtualization environment in accordance with someembodiments;

FIG. 9 shows a telecommunication network connected via an intermediatenetwork to a host computer in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 10 shows a host computer communicating via a base station with auser equipment over a partially wireless connection in accordance withsome embodiments;

FIG. 11 shows a method implemented in a communication system including ahost computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance withsome embodiments;

FIG. 12 shows a method implemented in a communication system including ahost computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance withsome embodiments;

FIG. 13 shows a method implemented in a communication system including ahost computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance withsome embodiments;

FIG. 14 shows a method implemented in a communication system including ahost computer, a base station and a user equipment in accordance withsome embodiments;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a User Equipmentaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a User Equipmentaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a network node accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a network node accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a network node accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 20 is a block diagram of a computer readable storage medium havingstored thereon a computer program comprising computer program code meansaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 21 is a block diagram of an apparatus in a User Equipment accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 22 is a block diagram of an apparatus in a User Equipment accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 23 is a block diagram of an apparatus in a network node accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 24 is a block diagram of an apparatus in a network node accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 25 is a block diagram of an apparatus in a network node accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Generally, all terms used herein are to be interpreted according totheir ordinary meaning in the relevant technical field, unless adifferent meaning is clearly given and/or is implied from the context inwhich it is used. All references to a/an/the element, apparatus,component, means, step, etc. are to be interpreted openly as referringto at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means,step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any methodsdisclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact orderdisclosed, unless a step is explicitly described as following orpreceding another step and/or where it is implicit that a step mustfollow or precede another step. Any feature of any of the embodimentsdisclosed herein may be applied to any other embodiment, whereverappropriate. Likewise, any advantage of any of the embodiments may applyto any other embodiments, and vice versa. Other objectives, features andadvantages of the enclosed embodiments will be apparent from thefollowing description.

Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described morefully. Other embodiments, however, are contained within the scope of thesubject matter disclosed herein, the disclosed subject matter should notbe construed as limited to only the embodiments set forth herein;rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example to convey thescope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

SS/PBCH Block in New Radio

In order to connect to a network, a device needs to acquire networksynchronization (synch) and obtain essential System Information (SI)including SI in Master Information Block (MIB) and Remaining MinimumSystem Information (RMSI). Synchronization signals are used foradjusting the frequency of the device relative to the network, and forfinding proper timing of the received signal from the network. In theNew Radio (NR), the synchronization and access procedure may involveseveral signals:

Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) that allows for network detectionin the presence of a high initial frequency error, up to tens of ppm.

Secondary Synchronization Signal (SSS) that allows for more accuratefrequency adjustments and channel estimation while at the same timeproviding fundamental network information (e.g., cell ID).

Physical Broadcast CHannel (PBCH) that provides a subset of the minimumsystem information for random access and configurations for fetchingremaining minimum system information in RMSI. It also provides timinginformation within a cell (e.g., to separate timing between beamstransmitted from a cell). The amount of information to fit into the PBCHis of course highly limited to keep the size down. Furthermore,Demodulation Reference Signal(s) (DMRS) are interleaved with PBCHresources to receive it properly.

Synchronization Signal and PBCH block (SS/PBCH block, or SSB in shorterformat) comprises the above signals (PSS, SSS and PBCH DMRS), and PBCH.SSB may have 15 kHz, 30 kHz, 120 kHz or 240 kHz Subcarrier Spacing (SCS)depending on the frequency range.

A number of (typically rather close in time) SS/PBCH blocks constitutean SS burst set. An SS burst set is transmitted periodically with theperiodicity configured in RMSI. 20 ms SS burst set periodicity isassumed for initial access. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate details aboutthe SS/PBCH block mapping within slots and SS burst set mapping to slotswithin 5 ms. FIG. 1 shows a diagram 100 of SS/PBCH block symbols inslots, where each small box is an Orthogonal Frequency DivisionMultiplexing (OFDM) symbol and where dark symbols are mapped. FIG. 2shows a diagram 200 of SS burst set in slots within 5 ms, where each boxis a slot and where dark slots are mapped.

RMSI and Control Resource Set (CORESET) Configured by PBCH in NR

Remaining Minimum System Information (RMSI) is carried in PhysicalDownlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) scheduled by Physical Downlink ControlChannel (PDCCH) in CORESET configured by PBCH in NR, and contains theremaining subset of minimum system information (e.g., the bit map of theactually transmitted SS/PBCH blocks).

CORESET configured by PBCH, which can also be used for OSI/PAGING/RAR,consists of a number (N_(RB) ^(CORESET)) of resource blocks in thefrequency domain, and a number (N_(symb) ^(CORESET)) of OFDM symbols inthe time domain. Based on 3GPP TS38.213 V15.0.0, N_(RB) ^(CORESET) canbe 24, 48 or 96, and N_(symb) ^(CORESET) can be 1, 2, 3 OFDM symbols.

A number of CCEs and REGs are defined in the CORESET. A Control-ChannelElement (CCE) consists of 6 Resource-Element Groups (REGs) where aresource-element group equals one resource block during one OFDM symbol.Resource-element groups within a control-resource set are numbered inincreasing order in a time-first manner, starting with 0 for the firstOFDM symbol and the lowest-numbered resource block in the controlresource set.

After detecting one SS/PBCH block, a User Equipment (UE) can try tosearch the possible PDCCH candidates based on the CORESET configurationsin PBCH. Between SS/PBCH block and the configured CORESET, there are 3multiplexing types, each of which has a set of supported numerologycombinations {SSB SCS, RMSI SCS}. FIG. 3 shows a diagram 300 of SS/PBCHblock and CORESET configured by PBCH multiplexing types (Type 1, Type 2,and Type 3) and supported numerology combinations for three types, Type1, Type 2, and Type 3 are described below.

For FIG. 3 , the supported numerology combinations for the three typesare as follows: Type 1 at sub-6 GHz has configurations of {15 kHz, 15kHz}, {15 kHz, 30 kHz}, {30 kHz, 15 kHz} and {30 kHz, 30 kHz}. At over-6GHz, the configurations are {120 kHz, 60 kHz}, {120 kHz, 120 kHz}, {240kHz, 60 kHz} and {240 kHz, 120 kHz}. For Type 2 the configurations are{120 kHz, 60 kHz} and {240 kHz, 120 kHz}. For type 3, the configurationis {120 kHz, 120 kHz}. Note pattern 2 (Type 2) and pattern 3 (Type 3)are only supported in over-6 GHz frequency bands.

In one of the 3GPP meetings (RAN1 #90bis), a following agreement wasreached regarding the relationship between bandwidth of PDSCH andbandwidth of the CORESET containing the PDCCH scheduling this PDSCH.

-   -   The initial active DL BWP is defined as frequency location and        bandwidth of RMSI CORESET and numerology of RMSI; and        -   PDSCH delivering RMSI are confined within the initial active            DL BWP

In one of the 3GPP meetings (RAN1 Ad-Hoc #1801), a following agreementwas reached regarding the Downlink Control Information (DCI) format forRMSI/OSI/paging and random access. Detail content of DCI is not definedyet.

-   -   NR supports a DCI format having the same size as the DCI format        1_0 to be used for scheduling RMSI/OSI, for Paging, and for        random access.

Following agreement was reached in one of the NR meetings (NR AdHoc #3)regarding the PDSCH transmissions for RMSI.

-   -   NR supports both slot based PDCCH and PDSCH, and non-slot based        PDSCH transmissions for RMSI/broadcast OSI delivery        -   For the non-slot based transmission, 2, 4 and 7 OFDM-symbol            duration for the RMSI/broadcast OSI PDSCH is supported

Following agreement was reached in one of the 3GPP meetings (RAN1 #91)regarding the DMRS patterns of PDSCH carrying RMSI.

Confirm working assumption of using configuration Type 1 for slot-basedbroadcast/multicast PDSCH and extend this DMRS type to:

-   -   slot-based unicast PDSCH before RRC configuration and slot-based        unicast PUSCH before RRC configuration (CP-OFDM and DFT-S-OFDM)        -   For slot-based broadcast/multicast PDSCH and unicast            PDSCH/PUSCH before RRC configuration, use two additional            1-symbol DMRS, with location of additional DMRS indicated in            PDCCH following the agreed DMRS locations for unicast            PDSCH/PUSCH after RRC configuration.    -   2/4/7-symbol non-slot-based scheduling for multicast/broadcast        PDSCH and unicast PDSCH before RRC configuration.        -   For 2/4-symbol non-slot-based scheduling, the one-symbol            front-load DMRS is used for broadcast/multicast PDSCH and            unicast PDSCH/PUSCH before RRC configuration.        -   For 7-symbol non-slot-based scheduling, one-symbol            front-load DMRS plus one additional DMRS symbol on the 5th            symbol, if it is part of the scheduling unit with respect to            the front-load is used for broadcast/multicast PDSCH and            unicast PDSCH/PUSCH before RRC configuration.

Broadcast/multicast PDSCH and PDSCH before RRC configuration ishappening, for both slot and 4/7-symbol non-slot-based, with DMRS port 0using SU-MIMO and no PDSCH FDMed on the DMRS symbol. For 2 symbolnon-slot based, there is only FDM.

Monitoring Window of PDCCH in CORESET Configured by PBCH in NR

PDCCH monitoring window in RMSI CORESET can be different for differentmultiplexing types between SS/PBCH block and RMSI CORESET.

For the SS/PBCH block and control resource set (CORESET) multiplexingpattern 1 (Type1), a UE monitors PDCCH in the Type0-PDCCH common searchspace over two consecutive slots starting from slot n₀. For SS/PBCHblock with index i, the UE determines an index of slot n₀ asn₀=(O·2^(μ)+└i·M┘)mod N_(slot) ^(frame,μ) located in a frame with systemframe number (SFN) SFN_(C) satisfying SFN_(C) mod 2=0 if└(O·2^(μ)+└i·M┘)/N_(slot) ^(frame,μ)┘ mod 2=0 or in a frame with SFNsatisfying SFN_(C) mod 2=1 if └(O·2^(μ)+└i·M┘)/N_(slot) ^(frame,μ)┘ mod2=1. M and O are provided by Tables 1 and 2, and μ∈{0,1,2,3} based onthe subcarrier spacing for PDCCH receptions in the control resource set[4, TS 38.211]. The index for the first symbol of the control resourceset in slot n_(C) is the first symbol index provided by Tables 1 and 2.

Table 1 shows parameters for PDCCH monitoring occasions for Type0-PDCCHcommon search space—SS/PBCH block and control resource set multiplexingpattern 1 and for carrier frequencies smaller than or equal to 6 GHz.

TABLE 1 Number of search Index O space sets per slot M First symbolindex 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 1/2 {0, if i is even}, {N_(symb) ^(CORESET), if iis odd} 2 2 1 1 0 3 2 2 1/2 {0, if i is even}, {N_(symb) ^(CORESET), ifi is odd} 4 5 1 1 0 5 5 2 1/2 {0, if i is even}, {N_(symb) ^(CORESET),if i is odd} 6 7 1 1 0 7 7 2 1/2 {0, if i is even}, {N_(symb)^(CORESET), if i is odd} 8 0 1 2 0 9 5 1 2 0 10 0 1 1 1 11 0 1 1 2 12 21 1 1 13 2 1 1 2 14 5 1 1 1 15 5 1 1 2

Table 2 shows parameters for PDCCH monitoring occasions for Type0-PDCCHcommon search space—SS/PBCH block and control resource set multiplexingpattern 1 and for carrier frequencies above 6 GHz.

TABLE 2 Number of search Index O space sets per slot M First symbolindex 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 1/2 {0, if i is even}, {7, if i is odd} 2 2.5 1 10 3 2.5 2 1/2 {0, if i is even}, {7, if i is odd} 4 5 1 1 0 5 5 2 1/2{0, if i is even}, {7, if i is odd} 6 0 2 1/2 {0, if i is even},{N_(symb) ^(CORESET), if i is odd} 7 2.5 2 1/2 {0, if i is even},{N_(symb) ^(CORESET), if i is odd} 8 5 2 1/2 {0, if i is even},{N_(symb) ^(CORESET), if i is odd} 9 7.5 1 1 0 10 7.5 2 1/2 {0, if i iseven}, {7, if i is odd} 11 7.5 2 1/2 {0, if i is even}, {N_(symb)^(CORESET), if i is odd} 12 0 1 2 0 13 5 1 2 0 14 Reserved 15 Reserved

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 shows the possible PDCCH monitoring windows in RMSICORESET when M=1 or M=½ respectively. FIG. 4 shows diagram 400illustrating PDCCH monitoring windows in RMSI CORSET when M=1. FIG. 5shows diagram 500 illustrating PDCCH monitoring windows in RMSI CORSETwhen M=½. Where N=1/M, N=1, M=1 in FIGS. 4 and N=2 in FIG. 5 .

Based on Table 1 and 2 (which are respectively Tables 13-11 and Table13-12 from latest 3GPP TS38.213 V15.0.1), and the Figures noted above,when M<1, there could be more than 1^(st) search space set per slot.When M>=1, there would be only 1 search space set per slot. The 1^(st)symbol index might be 0, 7 or N_(symb) ^(CORESET) based on the table andspecific configurations shown in these 2 tables.

For the SS/PBCH block and control resource set multiplexing patterns 2and 3, a UE monitors PDCCH in the Type0-PDCCH common search space overone slot with Type0-PDCCH common search space periodicity equal to theperiodicity of SS/PBCH block. For a SS/PBCH block with index i, the UEdetermines the slot index n_(C) and SFN_(C) based on parameter providedin other tables (such as Tables 13-13 through 13-15 in 3GPP TS 38.213V15.0.1).

There currently exist certain challenge(s). As is known, the signalingof PDSCH scheduling information in time domain in DCI is quiteexpensive. For the PDSCH transmissions after RRC connection, some extrasignaling can be fetched from RRC to keep low overhead of DCI. RMSIcould be decoded before RRC connection, so the allocation of PDSCHcarrying RMSI in time domain may need to be specially defined. Similarissue may happen for paging/RAR and other messages before RRC.

Certain aspects of the present disclosure and their embodiments mayprovide solutions to these or other challenges. For example, in thedescribed embodiments, some definitions are proposed for the time domainallocation of PDSCH carrying RMSI/PAGING/RAR etc. before RRC connection,based on the RMSI CORESET configurations in PBCH. Also, RMSI CORSETconfiguration based definitions are proposed for the time domainallocation of PDSCH carrying messages such as RMSI/RAR/PAGING before RRCconnection.

Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technicaladvantage(s). A methods is provided for the allocation of PDSCH carryingRMSI/PAGING/RAR etc. before RRC connection in time domain according tothe possible CORESET positions configured by PBCH, which requires lessor no signaling in DCI.

In the following, some definitions or signaling are proposed for thetime domain allocation of PDSCH carrying RMSI/PAGING/RAR etc., beforeRRC connection according to the RMSI CORESET configurations from PBCH inthis disclosure. The signaling, if necessary for some configurations,may be in the corresponding DCI scheduling the PDSCH.

Example embodiments are given below:

-   -   1) If SS/PBCH block and RMSI CORESET are multiplexed with        pattern 2 (Type 2) or pattern 3 (Type3) of FIG. 3 , then:        -   a) no DCI signaling is needed, and            -   i) for Pattern 2, UE can assume PDSCH starts from the                1st symbol of SS/PBCH block and ends up with the last                symbol of SS/PBCH block; and            -   ii) for Pattern 3, UE can assume PDSCH starts right                after the last symbol of RMSI CORESET and ends up with                the last symbol of SS/PBCH block.        -   b) DCI signaling may be needed if different number of            symbols are wanted for PDSCH, some extra signaling (e.g., 2            bits) may be introduced to indicate this for pattern 2 or            pattern 3.    -   2) If SS/PBCH block and RMSI CORESET are multiplexed with        pattern 1 (Type 1) of FIG. 3 , then:        -   a) additional 2-bit signaling may be introduced in DCI (more            bits may be introduced if a time gap between RMSI CORESET            and PDSCH is needed).            -   i) If CORESET starts from 1st symbol of one normal slot                (i.e. symbol 0) and M>=1                -   (1) For non-slot-based scheduling, PDSCH starts                    right after CORESET (UE assumes fixed DMRS pattern                    per mini-slot length)                -   (2) For slot-based scheduling, PDSCH starts right                    after CORESET till the end of the slot, fixed DMRS                    pattern is always used            -   ii) Else,                -   (1) Using non-slot-based scheduling, PDSCH starts                    from the 1st available symbol right after CORESET                    (assume fixed DMRS pattern per mini-slot length).    -   3) Other methods and techniques may be used as well in other        embodiments and are not limited to 1) and 2) above. For example,        other embodiments may employ a data structure having a fixed        table to hold all possible cases and a number of bits in DCI can        be used to identify an entry in the table. In instances where        signaling is not needed (e.g., pattern 3), the UE does not        necessary need to read these bits. Other embodiments may utilize        the signaling for flexible length of PDSCH or a gap between RMSI        CORSET and PDSCH. Still other embodiments may be practiced as        well.        -   An example table could be below:

TABLE 3 Time domain allocation of PDSCH scheduled by PDCCH in CORESETconfigured by PBCH in one slot number of start symbol symbols Y SSB andRMSI CORESET Index index X (Note 1) multiplexing type 0 1  7-X Pattern 11 2  7-X Pattern 1 2 3  7-X Pattern 1 3 4  7-X Pattern 1 4 5  7-XPattern 1 5 1 14-X Pattern 1 6 2 14-X Pattern 1 7 3 14-X Pattern 1 8 414-X Pattern 1 9 5 14-X Pattern 1 10 6 14-X Pattern 1 11 8 14-X Pattern1 12 9 14-X Pattern 1 13 10  14-X Pattern 1 14 N/A N/A Pattern 2/3 (Note2) 15 reserved reserved reserved (Note 1): Any uplink symbols (if exist)in this slot should be precluded for PDSCH scheduling. (Note 2): Formultiplexing pattern 2, PDSCH starts from the 1^(st) symbol of SS/PBCHblock and ends up with the last symbol of SS/PBCH block; Formultiplexing Pattern 3, PDSCH starts right after the last symbol of RMSICORESET and ends up with the last symbol of SS/PBCH block.

Although the subject matter described herein may be implemented in anyappropriate type of system using any suitable components, theembodiments disclosed herein are described in relation to a wirelessnetwork, such as the example wireless network illustrated in FIG. 6 .For simplicity, the wireless network of FIG. 6 only depicts network 606,network nodes 660 and 660 b, and WDs 610, 610 b, and 610 c. In practice,a wireless network may further include any additional elements suitableto support communication between wireless devices or between a wirelessdevice and another communication device, such as a landline telephone, aservice provider, or any other network node or end device. Of theillustrated components, network node 660 and wireless device (WD) 610are depicted with additional detail. The wireless network may providecommunication and other types of services to one or more wirelessdevices to facilitate the wireless devices' access to and/or use of theservices provided by, or via, the wireless network.

The wireless network may comprise and/or interface with any type ofcommunication, telecommunication, data, cellular, and/or radio networkor other similar type of system. In some embodiments, the wirelessnetwork may be configured to operate according to specific standards orother types of predefined rules or procedures. Thus, particularembodiments of the wireless network may implement communicationstandards, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution(LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G standards; wireless localarea network (WLAN) standards, such as the IEEE 802.11 standards; and/orany other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as theWorldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth,Z-Wave and/or ZigBee standards.

Network 606 may comprise one or more backhaul networks, core networks,IP networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), packet datanetworks, optical networks, wide-area networks (WANs), local areanetworks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks,wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks toenable communication between devices.

Network node 660 and WD 610 comprise various components described inmore detail below. These components work together in order to providenetwork node and/or wireless device functionality, such as providingwireless connections in a wireless network. In different embodiments,the wireless network may comprise any number of wired or wirelessnetworks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices,relay stations, and/or any other components or systems that mayfacilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signalswhether via wired or wireless connections.

As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured,arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with awireless device and/or with other network nodes or equipment in thewireless network to enable and/or provide wireless access to thewireless device and/or to perform other functions (e.g., administration)in the wireless network. Examples of network nodes include, but are notlimited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), basestations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs(eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)). Base stations may be categorized based onthe amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, theirtransmit power level) and may then also be referred to as femto basestations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro basestations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor nodecontrolling a relay.

A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of adistributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and/orremote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads(RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with anantenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radiobase station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antennasystem (DAS). Yet further examples of network nodes includemulti-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, networkcontrollers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base stationcontrollers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmissionpoints, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities(MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SONnodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs. As anotherexample, a network node may be a virtual network node as described inmore detail below. More generally, however, network nodes may representany suitable device (or group of devices) capable, configured, arranged,and/or operable to enable and/or provide a wireless device with accessto the wireless network or to provide some service to a wireless devicethat has accessed the wireless network.

In FIG. 6 , network node 660 includes processing circuitry 670, devicereadable medium 680, interface 690, auxiliary equipment 684, powersource 686, power circuitry 687, and antenna 662. Although network node660 illustrated in the example wireless network of FIG. 6 may representa device that includes the illustrated combination of hardwarecomponents, other embodiments may comprise network nodes with differentcombinations of components. It is to be understood that a network nodecomprises any suitable combination of hardware and/or software needed toperform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein.Moreover, while the components of network node 660 are depicted assingle boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multipleboxes, in practice, a network node may comprise multiple differentphysical components that make up a single illustrated component (e.g.,device readable medium 680 may comprise multiple separate hard drives aswell as multiple RAM modules).

Similarly, network node 660 may be composed of multiple physicallyseparate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or aBTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their ownrespective components. In certain scenarios in which network node 660comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components),one or more of the separate components may be shared among severalnetwork nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeB's.In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in someinstances be considered a single separate network node. In someembodiments, network node 660 may be configured to support multipleradio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some componentsmay be duplicated (e.g., separate device readable medium 680 for thedifferent RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., the sameantenna 662 may be shared by the RATs). Network node 660 may alsoinclude multiple sets of the various illustrated components fordifferent wireless technologies integrated into network node 660, suchas, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, or Bluetooth wirelesstechnologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into thesame or different chip or set of chips and other components withinnetwork node 660.

Processing circuitry 670 is configured to perform any determining,calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations)described herein as being provided by a network node. These operationsperformed by processing circuitry 670 may include processing informationobtained by processing circuitry 670 by, for example, converting theobtained information into other information, comparing the obtainedinformation or converted information to information stored in thenetwork node, and/or performing one or more operations based on theobtained information or converted information, and as a result of saidprocessing making a determination.

Processing circuitry 670 may comprise a combination of one or more of amicroprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit,digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, fieldprogrammable gate array, or any other suitable computing device,resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logicoperable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other networknode 660 components, such as device readable medium 680, network node660 functionality. For example, processing circuitry 670 may executeinstructions stored in device readable medium 680 or in memory withinprocessing circuitry 670. Such functionality may include providing anyof the various wireless features, functions, or benefits discussedherein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry 670 may include asystem on a chip (SOC).

In some embodiments, processing circuitry 670 may include one or more ofradio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 672 and baseband processingcircuitry 674. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF) transceivercircuitry 672 and baseband processing circuitry 674 may be on separatechips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units anddigital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceivercircuitry 672 and baseband processing circuitry 674 may be on the samechip or set of chips, boards, or units.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality describedherein as being provided by a network node, base station, eNB or othersuch network device may be performed by processing circuitry 670executing instructions stored on device readable medium 680 or memorywithin processing circuitry 670. In alternative embodiments, some or allof the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry 670 withoutexecuting instructions stored on a separate or discrete device readablemedium, such as in a hard-wired manner In any of those embodiments,whether executing instructions stored on a device readable storagemedium or not, processing circuitry 670 can be configured to perform thedescribed functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality arenot limited to processing circuitry 670 alone or to other components ofnetwork node 660, but are enjoyed by network node 660 as a whole, and/orby end users and the wireless network generally.

Device readable medium 680 may comprise any form of volatile ornon-volatile computer readable memory including, without limitation,persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory,magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-onlymemory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removablestorage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or aDigital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile,non-transitory device readable and/or computer-executable memory devicesthat store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used byprocessing circuitry 670. Device readable medium 680 may store anysuitable instructions, data or information, including a computerprogram, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules,code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executedby processing circuitry 670 and, utilized by network node 660. Devicereadable medium 680 may be used to store any calculations made byprocessing circuitry 670 and/or any data received via interface 690. Insome embodiments, processing circuitry 670 and device readable medium680 may be considered to be integrated.

Interface 690 is used in the wired or wireless communication ofsignalling and/or data between network node 660, network 606, and/or WDs610. As illustrated, interface 690 comprises port(s)/terminal(s) 694 tosend and receive data, for example to and from network 606 over a wiredconnection. Interface 690 also includes radio front end circuitry 692that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, antenna662. Radio front end circuitry 692 comprises filters 698 and amplifiers696. Radio front end circuitry 692 may be connected to antenna 662 andprocessing circuitry 670. Radio front end circuitry may be configured tocondition signals communicated between antenna 662 and processingcircuitry 670. Radio front end circuitry 692 may receive digital datathat is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wirelessconnection. Radio front end circuitry 692 may convert the digital datainto a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidthparameters using a combination of filters 698 and/or amplifiers 696. Theradio signal may then be transmitted via antenna 662. Similarly, whenreceiving data, antenna 662 may collect radio signals which are thenconverted into digital data by radio front end circuitry 692. Thedigital data may be passed to processing circuitry 670. In otherembodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/ordifferent combinations of components.

In certain alternative embodiments, network node 660 may not includeseparate radio front end circuitry 692, instead, processing circuitry670 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected toantenna 662 without separate radio front end circuitry 692. Similarly,in some embodiments, all or some of RF transceiver circuitry 672 may beconsidered a part of interface 690. In still other embodiments,interface 690 may include one or more ports or terminals 694, radiofront end circuitry 692, and RF transceiver circuitry 672, as part of aradio unit (not shown), and interface 690 may communicate with basebandprocessing circuitry 674, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

Antenna 662 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays,configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. Antenna 662 may becoupled to radio front end circuitry 690 and may be any type of antennacapable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. Insome embodiments, antenna 662 may comprise one or more omni-directional,sector or panel antennas operable to transmit/receive radio signalsbetween, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. An omni-directional antenna maybe used to transmit/receive radio signals in any direction, a sectorantenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals from deviceswithin a particular area, and a panel antenna may be a line of sightantenna used to transmit/receive radio signals in a relatively straightline. In some instances, the use of more than one antenna may bereferred to as MIMO. In certain embodiments, antenna 662 may be separatefrom network node 660 and may be connectable to network node 660 throughan interface or port.

Antenna 662, interface 690, and/or processing circuitry 670 may beconfigured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtainingoperations described herein as being performed by a network node. Anyinformation, data and/or signals may be received from a wireless device,another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly,antenna 662, interface 690, and/or processing circuitry 670 may beconfigured to perform any transmitting operations described herein asbeing performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signalsmay be transmitted to a wireless device, another network node and/or anyother network equipment.

Power circuitry 687 may comprise, or be coupled to, power managementcircuitry and is configured to supply the components of network node 660with power for performing the functionality described herein. Powercircuitry 687 may receive power from power source 686. Power source 686and/or power circuitry 687 may be configured to provide power to thevarious components of network node 660 in a form suitable for therespective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed foreach respective component). Power source 686 may either be included in,or external to, power circuitry 687 and/or network node 660. Forexample, network node 660 may be connectable to an external power source(e.g., an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface suchas an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies powerto power circuitry 687. As a further example, power source 686 maycomprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery packwhich is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry 687. Thebattery may provide backup power should the external power source fail.Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices, may also beused.

Alternative embodiments of network node 660 may include additionalcomponents beyond those shown in FIG. 6 that may be responsible forproviding certain aspects of the network node's functionality, includingany of the functionality described herein and/or any functionalitynecessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example,network node 660 may include user interface equipment to allow input ofinformation into network node 660 and to allow output of informationfrom network node 660. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic,maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for network node660.

As used herein, wireless device (WD) refers to a device capable,configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly withnetwork nodes and/or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise noted, theterm WD may be used interchangeably herein with user equipment (UE).Communicating wirelessly may involve transmitting and/or receivingwireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infraredwaves, and/or other types of signals suitable for conveying informationthrough air. In some embodiments, a WD may be configured to transmitand/or receive information without direct human interaction. Forinstance, a WD may be designed to transmit information to a network on apredetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event,or in response to requests from the network. Examples of a WD include,but are not limited to, a smart phone, a mobile phone, a cell phone, avoice over IP (VoIP) phone, a wireless local loop phone, a desktopcomputer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wireless cameras, agaming console or device, a music storage device, a playback appliance,a wearable terminal device, a wireless endpoint, a mobile station, atablet, a laptop, a laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), a laptop-mountedequipment (LME), a smart device, a wireless customer-premise equipment(CPE), a vehicle-mounted wireless terminal device, etc. A WD may supportdevice-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPPstandard for sidelink communication, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V),vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and may inthis case be referred to as a D2D communication device. As yet anotherspecific example, in an Internet of Things (IoT) scenario, a WD mayrepresent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and/ormeasurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and/ormeasurements to another WD and/or a network node. The WD may in thiscase be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which may in a 3GPP contextbe referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the WD maybe a UE implementing the 3GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT)standard. Particular examples of such machines or devices are sensors,metering devices such as power meters, industrial machinery, or home orpersonal appliances (e.g. refrigerators, televisions, etc.) personalwearables (e.g., watches, fitness trackers, etc.). In other scenarios, aWD may represent a vehicle or other equipment that is capable ofmonitoring and/or reporting on its operational status or other functionsassociated with its operation. A WD as described above may represent theendpoint of a wireless connection, in which case the device may bereferred to as a wireless terminal. Furthermore, a WD as described abovemay be mobile, in which case it may also be referred to as a mobiledevice or a mobile terminal.

As illustrated, wireless device 610 includes antenna 611, interface 614,processing circuitry 620, device readable medium 630, user interfaceequipment 632, auxiliary equipment 634, power source 636 and powercircuitry 637. WD 610 may include multiple sets of one or more of theillustrated components for different wireless technologies supported byWD 610, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, WiMAX, orBluetooth wireless technologies, just to mention a few. These wirelesstechnologies may be integrated into the same or different chips or setof chips as other components within WD 610.

Antenna 611 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays,configured to send and/or receive wireless signals, and is connected tointerface 614. In certain alternative embodiments, antenna 611 may beseparate from WD 610 and be connectable to WD 610 through an interfaceor port. Antenna 611, interface 614, and/or processing circuitry 620 maybe configured to perform any receiving or transmitting operationsdescribed herein as being performed by a WD. Any information, dataand/or signals may be received from a network node and/or another WD. Insome embodiments, radio front end circuitry and/or antenna 611 may beconsidered an interface.

As illustrated, interface 614 comprises radio front end circuitry 612and antenna 611. Radio front end circuitry 612 comprise one or morefilters 618 and amplifiers 616. Radio front end circuitry 614 isconnected to antenna 611 and processing circuitry 620, and is configuredto condition signals communicated between antenna 611 and processingcircuitry 620. Radio front end circuitry 612 may be coupled to or a partof antenna 611. In some embodiments, WD 610 may not include separateradio front end circuitry 612; rather, processing circuitry 620 maycomprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected to antenna 611.Similarly, in some embodiments, some or all of RF transceiver circuitry622 may be considered a part of interface 614. Radio front end circuitry612 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other networknodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front end circuitry 612may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriatechannel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 618and/or amplifiers 616. The radio signal may then be transmitted viaantenna 611. Similarly, when receiving data, antenna 611 may collectradio signals which are then converted into digital data by radio frontend circuitry 612. The digital data may be passed to processingcircuitry 620. In other embodiments, the interface may comprisedifferent components and/or different combinations of components.

Processing circuitry 620 may comprise a combination of one or more of amicroprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit,digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, fieldprogrammable gate array, or any other suitable computing device,resource, or combination of hardware, software, and/or encoded logicoperable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other WD 610components, such as device readable medium 630, WD 610 functionality.Such functionality may include providing any of the various wirelessfeatures or benefits discussed herein. For example, processing circuitry620 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 630 or inmemory within processing circuitry 620 to provide the functionalitydisclosed herein.

As illustrated, processing circuitry 620 includes one or more of RFtransceiver circuitry 622, baseband processing circuitry 624, andapplication processing circuitry 626. In other embodiments, theprocessing circuitry may comprise different components and/or differentcombinations of components. In certain embodiments processing circuitry620 of WD 610 may comprise a SOC. In some embodiments, RF transceivercircuitry 622, baseband processing circuitry 624, and applicationprocessing circuitry 626 may be on separate chips or sets of chips. Inalternative embodiments, part or all of baseband processing circuitry624 and application processing circuitry 626 may be combined into onechip or set of chips, and RF transceiver circuitry 622 may be on aseparate chip or set of chips. In still alternative embodiments, part orall of RF transceiver circuitry 622 and baseband processing circuitry624 may be on the same chip or set of chips, and application processingcircuitry 626 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In yet otheralternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 622,baseband processing circuitry 624, and application processing circuitry626 may be combined in the same chip or set of chips. In someembodiments, RF transceiver circuitry 622 may be a part of interface614. RF transceiver circuitry 622 may condition RF signals forprocessing circuitry 620.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality describedherein as being performed by a WD may be provided by processingcircuitry 620 executing instructions stored on device readable medium630, which in certain embodiments may be a computer-readable storagemedium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality maybe provided by processing circuitry 620 without executing instructionsstored on a separate or discrete device readable storage medium, such asin a hard-wired manner In any of those particular embodiments, whetherexecuting instructions stored on a device readable storage medium ornot, processing circuitry 620 can be configured to perform the describedfunctionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are notlimited to processing circuitry 620 alone or to other components of WD610, but are enjoyed by WD 610 as a whole, and/or by end users and thewireless network generally.

Processing circuitry 620 may be configured to perform any determining,calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations)described herein as being performed by a WD. These operations, asperformed by processing circuitry 620, may include processinginformation obtained by processing circuitry 620 by, for example,converting the obtained information into other information, comparingthe obtained information or converted information to information storedby WD 610, and/or performing one or more operations based on theobtained information or converted information, and as a result of saidprocessing making a determination.

Device readable medium 630 may be operable to store a computer program,software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code,tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executed byprocessing circuitry 620. Device readable medium 630 may includecomputer memory (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM) or Read Only Memory(ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media(e.g., a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or anyother volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/orcomputer executable memory devices that store information, data, and/orinstructions that may be used by processing circuitry 620. In someembodiments, processing circuitry 620 and device readable medium 630 maybe considered to be integrated.

User interface equipment 632 may provide components that allow for ahuman user to interact with WD 610. Such interaction may be of manyforms, such as visual, audial, tactile, etc. User interface equipment632 may be operable to produce output to the user and to allow the userto provide input to WD 610. The type of interaction may vary dependingon the type of user interface equipment 632 installed in WD 610. Forexample, if WD 610 is a smart phone, the interaction may be via a touchscreen; if WD 610 is a smart meter, the interaction may be through ascreen that provides usage (e.g., the number of gallons used) or aspeaker that provides an audible alert (e.g., if smoke is detected).User interface equipment 632 may include input interfaces, devices andcircuits, and output interfaces, devices and circuits. User interfaceequipment 632 is configured to allow input of information into WD 610,and is connected to processing circuitry 620 to allow processingcircuitry 620 to process the input information. User interface equipment632 may include, for example, a microphone, a proximity or other sensor,keys/buttons, a touch display, one or more cameras, a USB port, or otherinput circuitry. User interface equipment 632 is also configured toallow output of information from WD 610, and to allow processingcircuitry 620 to output information from WD 610. User interfaceequipment 632 may include, for example, a speaker, a display, vibratingcircuitry, a USB port, a headphone interface, or other output circuitry.Using one or more input and output interfaces, devices, and circuits, ofuser interface equipment 632, WD 610 may communicate with end usersand/or the wireless network, and allow them to benefit from thefunctionality described herein.

Auxiliary equipment 634 is operable to provide more specificfunctionality which may not be generally performed by WDs. This maycomprise specialized sensors for doing measurements for variouspurposes, interfaces for additional types of communication such as wiredcommunications etc. The inclusion and type of components of auxiliaryequipment 634 may vary depending on the embodiment and/or scenario.

Power source 636 may, in some embodiments, be in the form of a batteryor battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external powersource (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic devices or powercells, may also be used. WD 610 may further comprise power circuitry 637for delivering power from power source 636 to the various parts of WD610 which need power from power source 636 to carry out anyfunctionality described or indicated herein. Power circuitry 637 may incertain embodiments comprise power management circuitry. Power circuitry637 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receive power froman external power source; in which case WD 610 may be connectable to theexternal power source (such as an electricity outlet) via inputcircuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Powercircuitry 637 may also in certain embodiments be operable to deliverpower from an external power source to power source 636. This may be,for example, for the charging of power source 636. Power circuitry 637may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to thepower from power source 636 to make the power suitable for therespective components of WD 610 to which power is supplied.

FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a UE in accordance with variousaspects described herein. As used herein, a user equipment or UE may notnecessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/oroperates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device thatis intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which maynot, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific humanuser (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE mayrepresent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, anend user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit ofa user (e.g., a smart power meter). UE 700 may be any UE identified bythe 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a NB-IoT UE, amachine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.UE 700, as illustrated in FIG. 7 , is one example of a WD configured forcommunication in accordance with one or more communication standardspromulgated by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as3GPP's GSM, UMTS, LTE, and/or 5G standards. As mentioned previously, theterm WD and UE may be used interchangeable. Accordingly, although FIG. 7is a UE, the components discussed herein are equally applicable to a WD,and vice-versa.

In FIG. 7 , UE 700 includes processing circuitry 701 that is operativelycoupled to input/output interface 705, radio frequency (RF) interface709, network connection interface 711, memory 715 including randomaccess memory (RAM) 717, read-only memory (ROM) 719, and storage medium721 or the like, communication subsystem 731, power source 733, and/orany other component, or any combination thereof. Storage medium 721includes operating system 723, application program 725, and data 727. Inother embodiments, storage medium 721 may include other similar types ofinformation. Certain UEs may utilize all of the components shown in FIG.7 , or only a subset of the components. The level of integration betweenthe components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEsmay contain multiple instances of a component, such as multipleprocessors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

In FIG. 7 , processing circuitry 701 may be configured to processcomputer instructions and data. Processing circuitry 701 may beconfigured to implement any sequential state machine operative toexecute machine instructions stored as machine-readable computerprograms in the memory, such as one or more hardware-implemented statemachines (e.g., in discrete logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logictogether with appropriate firmware; one or more stored program,general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or Digital SignalProcessor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combinationof the above. For example, the processing circuitry 701 may include twocentral processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a formsuitable for use by a computer.

In the depicted embodiment, input/output interface 705 may be configuredto provide a communication interface to an input device, output device,or input and output device. UE 700 may be configured to use an outputdevice via input/output interface 705. An output device may use the sametype of interface port as an input device. For example, a USB port maybe used to provide input to and output from UE 700. The output devicemay be a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, aprinter, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, orany combination thereof. UE 700 may be configured to use an input devicevia input/output interface 705 to allow a user to capture informationinto UE 700. The input device may include a touch-sensitive orpresence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digitalvideo camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, atrackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard,and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive orresistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, forinstance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor,a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, another likesensor, or any combination thereof. For example, the input device may bean accelerometer, a magnetometer, a digital camera, a microphone, and anoptical sensor.

In FIG. 7 , RF interface 709 may be configured to provide acommunication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, areceiver, and an antenna. Network connection interface 711 may beconfigured to provide a communication interface to network 743 a.Network 743 a may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as alocal-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network,a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like networkor any combination thereof. For example, network 743 a may comprise aWi-Fi network. Network connection interface 711 may be configured toinclude a receiver and a transmitter interface used to communicate withone or more other devices over a communication network according to oneor more communication protocols, such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, SONET, ATM,or the like. Network connection interface 711 may implement receiver andtransmitter functionality appropriate to the communication network links(e.g., optical, electrical, and the like). The transmitter and receiverfunctions may share circuit components, software or firmware, oralternatively may be implemented separately.

RAM 717 may be configured to interface via bus 702 to processingcircuitry 701 to provide storage or caching of data or computerinstructions during the execution of software programs such as theoperating system, application programs, and device drivers. ROM 719 maybe configured to provide computer instructions or data to processingcircuitry 701. For example, ROM 719 may be configured to store invariantlow-level system code or data for basic system functions such as basicinput and output (I/O), startup, or reception of keystrokes from akeyboard that are stored in a non-volatile memory. Storage medium 721may be configured to include memory such as RAM, ROM, programmableread-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magneticdisks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, orflash drives. In one example, storage medium 721 may be configured toinclude operating system 723, application program 725 such as a webbrowser application, a widget or gadget engine or another application,and data file 727. Storage medium 721 may store, for use by UE 700, anyof a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operatingsystems.

Storage medium 721 may be configured to include a number of physicaldrive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), floppydisk drive, flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive,thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc(HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray opticaldisc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive,external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamicrandom access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcardmemory such as a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity(SIM/RUIM) module, other memory, or any combination thereof. Storagemedium 721 may allow UE 700 to access computer-executable instructions,application programs or the like, stored on transitory or non-transitorymemory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article ofmanufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may betangibly embodied in storage medium 721, which may comprise a devicereadable medium.

In FIG. 7 , processing circuitry 701 may be configured to communicatewith network 743 b using communication subsystem 731. Network 743 a andnetwork 743 b may be the same network or networks or different networkor networks. Communication subsystem 731 may be configured to includeone or more transceivers used to communicate with network 743 b. Forexample, communication subsystem 731 may be configured to include one ormore transceivers used to communicate with one or more remotetransceivers of another device capable of wireless communication such asanother WD, UE, or base station of a radio access network (RAN)according to one or more communication protocols, such as IEEE 802.7,CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE, UTRAN, WiMax, or the like. Each transceiver mayinclude transmitter 733 and/or receiver 735 to implement transmitter orreceiver functionality, respectively, appropriate to the RAN links(e.g., frequency allocations and the like). Further, transmitter 733 andreceiver 735 of each transceiver may share circuit components, softwareor firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.

In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions ofcommunication subsystem 731 may include data communication, voicecommunication, multimedia communication, short-range communications suchas Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communicationsuch as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine alocation, another like communication function, or any combinationthereof. For example, communication subsystem 731 may include cellularcommunication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPScommunication. Network 743 b may encompass wired and/or wirelessnetworks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN),a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network,another like network or any combination thereof. For example, network743 b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and/or a near-fieldnetwork. Power source 713 may be configured to provide alternatingcurrent (AC) or direct current (DC) power to components of UE 700.

The features, benefits and/or functions described herein may beimplemented in one of the components of UE 700 or partitioned acrossmultiple components of UE 700. Further, the features, benefits, and/orfunctions described herein may be implemented in any combination ofhardware, software or firmware. In one example, communication subsystem731 may be configured to include any of the components described herein.Further, processing circuitry 701 may be configured to communicate withany of such components over bus 702. In another example, any of suchcomponents may be represented by program instructions stored in memorythat when executed by processing circuitry 701 perform the correspondingfunctions described herein. In another example, the functionality of anyof such components may be partitioned between processing circuitry 701and communication subsystem 731. In another example, thenon-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may beimplemented in software or firmware and the computationally intensivefunctions may be implemented in hardware.

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualizationenvironment 800 in which functions implemented by some embodiments maybe virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creatingvirtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may includevirtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networkingresources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to a node(e.g., a virtualized base station or a virtualized radio access node) orto a device (e.g., a UE, a wireless device or any other type ofcommunication device) or components thereof and relates to animplementation in which at least a portion of the functionality isimplemented as one or more virtual components (e.g., via one or moreapplications, components, functions, virtual machines or containersexecuting on one or more physical processing nodes in one or morenetworks).

In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein maybe implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtualmachines implemented in one or more virtual environments 800 hosted byone or more of hardware nodes 830. Further, in embodiments in which thevirtual node is not a radio access node or does not require radioconnectivity (e.g., a core network node), then the network node may beentirely virtualized.

The functions may be implemented by one or more applications 820 (whichmay alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances,network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.)operative to implement some of the features, functions, and/or benefitsof some of the embodiments disclosed herein. Applications 820 are run invirtualization environment 800 which provides hardware 830 comprisingprocessing circuitry 860 and memory 890. Memory 890 containsinstructions 895 executable by processing circuitry 860 wherebyapplication 820 is operative to provide one or more of the features,benefits, and/or functions disclosed herein.

Virtualization environment 800, comprises general-purpose orspecial-purpose network hardware devices 830 comprising a set of one ormore processors or processing circuitry 860, which may be commercialoff-the-shelf (COTS) processors, dedicated Application SpecificIntegrated Circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processing circuitryincluding digital or analog hardware components or special purposeprocessors. Each hardware device may comprise memory 890-1 which may benon-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructions 895 orsoftware executed by processing circuitry 860. Each hardware device maycomprise one or more network interface controllers (NICs) 870, alsoknown as network interface cards, which include physical networkinterface 880. Each hardware device may also include non-transitory,persistent, machine-readable storage media 890-2 having stored thereinsoftware 895 and/or instructions executable by processing circuitry 860.Software 895 may include any type of software including software forinstantiating one or more virtualization layers 850 (also referred to ashypervisors), software to execute virtual machines 840 as well assoftware allowing it to execute functions, features and/or benefitsdescribed in relation with some embodiments described herein.

Virtual machines 840, comprise virtual processing, virtual memory,virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by acorresponding virtualization layer 850 or hypervisor. Differentembodiments of the instance of virtual appliance 820 may be implementedon one or more of virtual machines 840, and the implementations may bemade in different ways.

During operation, processing circuitry 860 executes software 895 toinstantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer 850, which maysometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM).Virtualization layer 850 may present a virtual operating platform thatappears like networking hardware to virtual machine 840.

As shown in FIG. 8 , hardware 830 may be a standalone network node withgeneric or specific components. Hardware 830 may comprise antenna 8225and may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively,hardware 830 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such asin a data center or customer premise equipment (CPE)) where manyhardware nodes work together and are managed via management andorchestration (MANO) 8100, which, among others, oversees lifecyclemanagement of applications 820.

Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to asnetwork function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidatemany network equipment types onto industry standard high volume serverhardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be locatedin data centers, and customer premise equipment.

In the context of NFV, virtual machine 840 may be a softwareimplementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they wereexecuting on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of virtualmachines 840, and that part of hardware 830 that executes that virtualmachine, be it hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and/orhardware shared by that virtual machine with others of the virtualmachines 840, forms a separate virtual network elements (VNE).

Still in the context of NFV, Virtual Network Function (VNF) isresponsible for handling specific network functions that run in one ormore virtual machines 840 on top of hardware networking infrastructure830 and corresponds to application 820 in FIG. 8 .

In some embodiments, one or more radio units 8200 that each include oneor more transmitters 8220 and one or more receivers 8210 may be coupledto one or more antennas 8225. Radio units 8200 may communicate directlywith hardware nodes 830 via one or more appropriate network interfacesand may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide avirtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or abase station.

In some embodiments, some signalling can be effected with the use ofcontrol system 8230 which may alternatively be used for communicationbetween the hardware nodes 830 and radio units 8200.

With reference to FIG. 9 , in accordance with an embodiment, acommunication system includes telecommunication network 910, such as a3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises access network 911, such asa radio access network, and core network 914. Access network 911comprises a plurality of base stations 912 a, 912 b, 912 c, such as NBs,eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, each defining acorresponding coverage area 913 a, 913 b, 913 c. Each base station 912a, 912 b, 912 c is connectable to core network 914 over a wired orwireless connection 915. A first UE 991 located in coverage area 913 cis configured to wirelessly connect to, or be paged by, thecorresponding base station 912 c. A second UE 992 in coverage area 913 ais wirelessly connectable to the corresponding base station 912 a. Whilea plurality of UEs 991, 992 are illustrated in this example, thedisclosed embodiments are equally applicable to a situation where a soleUE is in the coverage area or where a sole UE is connecting to thecorresponding base station 912.

Telecommunication network 910 is itself connected to host computer 930,which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of a standaloneserver, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server or asprocessing resources in a server farm. Host computer 930 may be underthe ownership or control of a service provider, or may be operated bythe service provider or on behalf of the service provider. Connections921 and 922 between telecommunication network 910 and host computer 930may extend directly from core network 914 to host computer 930 or may govia an optional intermediate network 920. Intermediate network 920 maybe one of, or a combination of more than one of, a public, private orhosted network; intermediate network 920, if any, may be a backbonenetwork or the Internet; in particular, intermediate network 920 maycomprise two or more sub-networks (not shown).

The communication system of FIG. 9 as a whole enables connectivitybetween the connected UEs 991, 992 and host computer 930. Theconnectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection 950.Host computer 930 and the connected UEs 991, 992 are configured tocommunicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection 950, using accessnetwork 911, core network 914, any intermediate network 920 and possiblefurther infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTT connection 950may be transparent in the sense that the participating communicationdevices through which OTT connection 950 passes are unaware of routingof uplink and downlink communications. For example, base station 912 maynot or need not be informed about the past routing of an incomingdownlink communication with data originating from host computer 930 tobe forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connected UE 991. Similarly, basestation 912 need not be aware of the future routing of an outgoinguplink communication originating from the UE 991 towards the hostcomputer 930.

Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the UE,base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphswill now be described with reference to FIG. 10 . In communicationsystem 1000, host computer 1010 comprises hardware 1015 includingcommunication interface 1016 configured to set up and maintain a wiredor wireless connection with an interface of a different communicationdevice of communication system 1000. Host computer 1010 furthercomprises processing circuitry 1018, which may have storage and/orprocessing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry 1018 maycomprise one or more programmable processors, application-specificintegrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations ofthese (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Host computer 1010further comprises software 1011, which is stored in or accessible byhost computer 1010 and executable by processing circuitry 1018. Software1011 includes host application 1012. Host application 1012 may beoperable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE 1030connecting via OTT connection 1050 terminating at UE 1030 and hostcomputer 1010. In providing the service to the remote user, hostapplication 1012 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTTconnection 1050.

Communication system 1000 further includes base station 1020 provided ina telecommunication system and comprising hardware 1025 enabling it tocommunicate with host computer 1010 and with UE 1030. Hardware 1025 mayinclude communication interface 1026 for setting up and maintaining awired or wireless connection with an interface of a differentcommunication device of communication system 1000, as well as radiointerface 1027 for setting up and maintaining at least wirelessconnection 1070 with UE 1030 located in a coverage area (not shown inFIG. 10 ) served by base station 1020. Communication interface 1026 maybe configured to facilitate connection 1060 to host computer 1010.Connection 1060 may be direct or it may pass through a core network (notshown in FIG. 10 ) of the telecommunication system and/or through one ormore intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system. In theembodiment shown, hardware 1025 of base station 1020 further includesprocessing circuitry 1028, which may comprise one or more programmableprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits, field programmablegate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted to executeinstructions. Base station 1020 further has software 1021 storedinternally or accessible via an external connection.

Communication system 1000 further includes UE 1030 already referred to.The hardware 1035 may include radio interface 1037 configured to set upand maintain wireless connection 1070 with a base station serving acoverage area in which UE 1030 is currently located. Hardware 1035 of UE1030 further includes processing circuitry 1038, which may comprise oneor more programmable processors, application-specific integratedcircuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations of these (notshown) adapted to execute instructions. UE 1030 further comprisessoftware 1031, which is stored in or accessible by UE 1030 andexecutable by processing circuitry 1038. Software 1031 includes clientapplication 1032. Client application 1032 may be operable to provide aservice to a human or non-human user via UE 1030, with the support ofhost computer 1010. In host computer 1010, an executing host application1012 may communicate with the executing client application 1032 via OTTconnection 1050 terminating at UE 1030 and host computer 1010. Inproviding the service to the user, client application 1032 may receiverequest data from host application 1012 and provide user data inresponse to the request data. OTT connection 1050 may transfer both therequest data and the user data. Client application 1032 may interactwith the user to generate the user data that it provides.

It is noted that host computer 1010, base station 1020 and UE 1030illustrated in FIG. 10 may be similar or identical to host computer 930,one of base stations 912 a, 912 b, 912 c and one of UEs 991, 992 of FIG.9 , respectively. This is to say, the inner workings of these entitiesmay be as shown in FIG. 10 and independently, the surrounding networktopology may be that of FIG. 9 .

In FIG. 10 , OTT connection 1050 has been drawn abstractly to illustratethe communication between host computer 1010 and UE 1030 via basestation 1020, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices andthe precise routing of messages via these devices. Networkinfrastructure may determine the routing, which it may be configured tohide from UE 1030 or from the service provider operating host computer1010, or both. While OTT connection 1050 is active, the networkinfrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamicallychanges the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing considerationor reconfiguration of the network).

Wireless connection 1070 between UE 1030 and base station 1020 is inaccordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughoutthis disclosure. One or more of the various embodiments improve theperformance of OTT services provided to UE 1030 using OTT connection1050, in which wireless connection 1070 forms the last segment.

A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoringdata rate, latency and other factors on which the one or moreembodiments improve. There may further be an optional networkfunctionality for reconfiguring OTT connection 1050 between hostcomputer 1010 and UE 1030, in response to variations in the measurementresults. The measurement procedure and/or the network functionality forreconfiguring OTT connection 1050 may be implemented in software 1011and hardware 1015 of host computer 1010 or in software 1031 and hardware1035 of UE 1030, or both. In embodiments, sensors (not shown) may bedeployed in or in association with communication devices through whichOTT connection 1050 passes; the sensors may participate in themeasurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantitiesexemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities fromwhich software 1011, 1031 may compute or estimate the monitoredquantities. The reconfiguring of OTT connection 1050 may include messageformat, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; thereconfiguring need not affect base station 1020, and it may be unknownor imperceptible to base station 1020. Such procedures andfunctionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certainembodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signalingfacilitating host computer 1010's measurements of throughput,propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may beimplemented in that software 1011 and 1031 causes messages to betransmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using OTTconnection 1050 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in acommunication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Thecommunication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UEwhich may be those described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. Forsimplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 11will be included in this section. In step 1110, the host computerprovides user data. In substep 1111 (which may be optional) of step1110, the host computer provides the user data by executing a hostapplication. In step 1120, the host computer initiates a transmissioncarrying the user data to the UE. In step 1130 (which may be optional),the base station transmits to the UE the user data which was carried inthe transmission that the host computer initiated, in accordance withthe teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure.In step 1140 (which may also be optional), the UE executes a clientapplication associated with the host application executed by the hostcomputer.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in acommunication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Thecommunication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UEwhich may be those described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10 . Forsimplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 12will be included in this section. In step 1210 of the method, the hostcomputer provides user data. In an optional substep (not shown) the hostcomputer provides the user data by executing a host application. In step1220, the host computer initiates a transmission carrying the user datato the UE. The transmission may pass via the base station, in accordancewith the teachings of the embodiments described throughout thisdisclosure. In step 1230 (which may be optional), the UE receives theuser data carried in the transmission.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in acommunication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Thecommunication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UEwhich may be those described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10 . Forsimplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 13will be included in this section. In step 1310 (which may be optional),the UE receives input data provided by the host computer. Additionallyor alternatively, in step 1320, the UE provides user data. In substep1321 (which may be optional) of step 1320, the UE provides the user databy executing a client application. In substep 1311 (which may beoptional) of step 1310, the UE executes a client application whichprovides the user data in reaction to the received input data providedby the host computer. In providing the user data, the executed clientapplication may further consider user input received from the user.Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided,the UE initiates, in substep 1330 (which may be optional), transmissionof the user data to the host computer. In step 1340 of the method, thehost computer receives the user data transmitted from the UE, inaccordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughoutthis disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a method implemented in acommunication system, in accordance with one embodiment. Thecommunication system includes a host computer, a base station and a UEwhich may be those described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10 . Forsimplicity of the present disclosure, only drawing references to FIG. 14will be included in this section. In step 1410 (which may be optional),in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughoutthis disclosure, the base station receives user data from the UE. Instep 1420 (which may be optional), the base station initiatestransmission of the received user data to the host computer. In step1430 (which may be optional), the host computer receives the user datacarried in the transmission initiated by the base station.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a User Equipmentaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure.

At block 1510, time domain resources for downlink shared channel aredetermined at least according to Control Resource Set (CORESET)configurations. In an embodiment, the downlink shared channel maycomprise Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH).

In an embodiment, a SS/PBCH block may have a first symbol and a lastsymbol. The time domain resources for downlink shared channel can bedetermined as follows:

-   -   determining that PDSCH starts from the first symbol of the        SS/PBCH block and ends with the last symbol of the SS/PBCH        block, when the SS/PBCH block and Remaining Minimum System        Information (RMSI) CORESET are multiplexed with Type 2 pattern;    -   determining that PDSCH starts immediately after a last symbol of        Remaining Minimum System Information (RMSI) CORESET and ends        with the last symbol of the SS/PBCH block, when the SS/PBCH        block and the RMSI CORESET are multiplexed with Type 3 pattern;    -   when the SS/PBCH block and the RMSI CORESET are multiplexed with        Type 1 pattern, if the CORESET starts from a first symbol of one        normal slot, determining, for non-slot-based scheduling, that        PDSCH starts immediately after the CORESET and determining, for        slot-based scheduling, that PDSCH starts immediately after the        CORESET till an end of the slot; or if the CORESET does not        start from a first symbol of one normal slot, determining, for        non-slot-based scheduling, that PDSCH starts from a first        available symbol immediately after the CORESET.

At an optional block 1520, the method may further comprise receivingdata in the downlink shared channel.

System Information (SI) may consist of a MIB and a number of SIBs, whichare divided into Minimum SI and Other SI Minimum SI comprises basicinformation required for initial access and information for acquiringany other SI. In particular, Minimum SI comprises:

-   -   MIB that contains cell barred status information and essential        physical layer information of the cell required to receive        further system information, e.g. CORESET #0 configuration. MIB        is periodically broadcast on BCH.    -   SIB1 that defines the scheduling of other system information        blocks and contains information required for initial access.        SIB1 is also referred to as Remaining Minimum SI (RMSI) and is        periodically broadcast on DL-SCH or sent in a dedicated manner        on DL-SCH to UEs in RRC_CONNECTED.

Other SI comprises all SIBs not broadcast in the Minimum SI. Those SIBscan either be periodically broadcast on DL-SCH, broadcast on-demand onDL-SCH (i.e. upon request from UEs in RRC_IDLE or RRC_INACTIVE), or sentin a dedicated manner on DL-SCH to UEs in RRC_CONNECTED. In particular,other SI comprises:

-   -   SIB2 that contains cell re-selection information, mainly related        to the serving cell;    -   SIB3 that contains information about the serving frequency and        intra-frequency neighbouring cells relevant for cell        re-selection (including cell re-selection parameters common for        a frequency as well as cell specific re-selection parameters);    -   SIB4 that contains information about other NR frequencies and        inter-frequency neighbouring cells relevant for cell        re-selection (including cell re-selection parameters common for        a frequency as well as cell specific re-selection parameters);    -   SIB5 that contains information about E-UTRA frequencies and        E-UTRA neighbouring cells relevant for cell re-selection        (including cell re-selection parameters common for a frequency        as well as cell specific re-selection parameters);    -   SIB6 that contains an ETWS primary notification;    -   SIB7 that contains an ETWS secondary notification;    -   SIB8 that contains a CMAS warning notification;    -   SIB9 that contains information related to GPS time and        Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

In an embodiment, the data received in block 1520 may comprise SystemInformation Block (SIB), paging data, or user data. The SIB may compriseSIB1 which contains information required for initial access. Inaddition, the SIB may also comprise other SIBs, such as one or more ofSIB2-SIB9 as mentioned above.

In an embodiment, the CORESET may be configured by Physical BroadcastChannel (PBCH).

In an embodiment, the downlink shared channel may be scheduled by aPhysical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) with Cyclic Redundancy Check(CRC) code scrambled by System Information Radio Network TemporaryIdentity (SI-RNTI). The PDCCH may be monitored by the UE in a Type0common search space.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a User Equipmentaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure.

At block 1610, time domain resources for downlink shared channel areutilized at least according to Control Resource Set (CORESET)configurations. The CORESET configuration is determined by a CORESETposition and the CORESET position is configured by Physical BroadcastChannel (PBCH). The time domain resources for downlink shared channelutilized by the UE may be those determined as have been described withreference to FIG. 15 .

At an optional block 1620, the method may further comprise receivingdata in the downlink shared channel. The data may comprise SystemInformation Block (SIB), paging data, or user data. The SIB may compriseSIB1 which contains information required for initial access and otherSIBs such as one or more of SIB2-SIB9, as mentioned above.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a network node accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure.

At block 1710, time domain resources for downlink shared channel areallocated at least according to Control Resource Set (CORESET)configurations. In an embodiment, the downlink shared channel maycomprise Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH).

In an embodiment, a SS/PBCH block may have a first symbol and a lastsymbol. The time domain resources for downlink shared channel can beallocated as follows:

-   -   allocating that PDSCH starts from the first symbol of the        SS/PBCH block and ends with the last symbol of the SS/PBCH        block, when the SS/PBCH block and Remaining Minimum System        Information (RMSI) CORESET are multiplexed with Type 2 pattern;    -   allocating that PDSCH starts immediately after a last symbol of        Remaining Minimum System Information (RMSI) CORESET and ends        with the last symbol of the SS/PBCH block, when the SS/PBCH        block and the RMSI CORESET are multiplexed with Type 3 pattern;    -   when the SS/PBCH block and the RMSI CORESET are multiplexed with        Type 1 pattern, if the CORESET starts from a first symbol of one        normal slot, allocating, for non-slot-based scheduling, that        PDSCH starts immediately after the CORESET and allocating, for        slot-based scheduling, that PDSCH starts immediately after the        CORESET till an end of the slot; or if the CORESET does not        start from a first symbol of one normal slot, allocating, for        non-slot-based scheduling, that PDSCH starts from a first        available symbol immediately after the CORESET.

At an optional block 1720, the method may further comprise transmittingdata in the downlink shared channel. The data may comprise SystemInformation Block (SIB), paging data, or user data. The SIB may compriseSIB1 which contains information required for initial access and otherSIBs such as one or more of SIB2-SIB9, as mentioned above.

In an embodiment, the CORESET may be configured by Physical BroadcastChannel (PBCH).

In an embodiment, the downlink shared channel may be scheduled by aPhysical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) with Cyclic Redundancy Check(CRC) code scrambled by System Information Radio Network TemporaryIdentity (SI-RNTI). The PDCCH may be transmitted by the network node ina Type0 common search space.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a network node accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure.

At block 1810, time domain resources for downlink shared channel areutilized at least according to Control Resource Set (CORESET)configurations. The CORESET configuration is determined by a CORESETposition and the CORESET position is configured by Physical BroadcastChannel (PBCH). The time domain resources for downlink shared channelutilized by the network node may be those allocated as have beendescribed with reference to FIG. 17 .

At an optional block 1820, the method may further comprise transmittingdata in the downlink shared channel. The data may comprise SystemInformation Block (SIB), paging data, or user data. The SIB may compriseSIB1 which contains information required for initial access and otherSIBs such as one or more of SIB2-SIB9, as mentioned above.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a method in a network node accordingto an embodiment of the disclosure.

At block 1910, time domain resources allocation for Physical DownlinkShared Channel (PDSCH) are signaled according to Remaining MinimumSystem Information (RMSI) Control Resource Set (CORESET) configurations.

In an embodiment, a SS/PBCH block may have a first symbol and a lastsymbol. The time domain resources for downlink shared channel can besignaled as follows:

-   -   signaling that PDSCH starts from the first symbol of the SS/PBCH        block and ends with the last symbol of the SS/PBCH block, when        the SS/PBCH block and Remaining Minimum System Information        (RMSI) CORESET are multiplexed with Type 2 pattern;    -   signaling that PDSCH starts immediately after a last symbol of        Remaining Minimum System Information (RMSI) CORESET and ends        with the last symbol of the SS/PBCH block, when the SS/PBCH        block and the RMSI CORESET are multiplexed with Type 3 pattern;    -   when the SS/PBCH block and the RMSI CORESET are multiplexed with        Type 1 pattern, if the CORESET starts from a first symbol of one        normal slot, signaling, for non-slot-based scheduling, that        PDSCH starts immediately after the CORESET and signaling, for        slot-based scheduling, that PDSCH starts immediately after the        CORESET till an end of the slot; or if the CORESET does not        start from a first symbol of one normal slot, signaling, for        non-slot-based scheduling, that PDSCH starts from a first        available symbol immediately after the CORESET.

In an embodiment, the downlink shared channel may be scheduled by aPhysical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) with Cyclic Redundancy Check(CRC) code scrambled by System Information Radio Network TemporaryIdentity (SI-RNTI). The PDCCH may be transmitted by the network node ina Type0 common search space.

The embodiments of the disclosure can be implemented in computer programproducts. This arrangement of the disclosure is typically provided assoftware, codes and/or other data structures provided or coded on acomputer readable medium (such as an optical medium, e.g., CD-ROM, afloppy disk or a hard disk), or firmware or micro codes on other mediums(such as one or more ROMs, RAMs or PROM chips), or downloadable softwareimages or shared databases in one or more modules.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram of a computer readable storage medium havingstored thereon a computer program comprising computer program code meansaccording to an embodiment of the disclosure. As shown in FIG. 20 , acomputer readable medium 2000 has stored thereon computer program codes2010 for performing, when executed by at least one processor, themethods according to the disclosure as mentioned above. The computerreadable medium 2000 may have the form of a non-volatile or volatilememory, e.g., an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory(EEPROM), a flash memory, a floppy disk, and a hard drive, etc. Thecomputer program codes 2010 may include codes/computer readableinstructions in any format.

Any appropriate steps, methods, features, functions, or benefitsdisclosed herein may be performed through one or more functional unitsor modules of one or more virtual apparatuses. Each virtual apparatusmay comprise a number of these functional units. These functional unitsmay be implemented via processing circuitry, which may include one ormore microprocessor or microcontrollers, as well as other digitalhardware, which may include digital signal processors (DSPs),special-purpose digital logic, and the like. The processing circuitrymay be configured to execute program code stored in memory, which mayinclude one or several types of memory such as read-only memory (ROM),random-access memory (RAM), cache memory, flash memory devices, opticalstorage devices, etc. Program code stored in memory includes programinstructions for executing one or more telecommunications and/or datacommunications protocols as well as instructions for carrying out one ormore of the techniques described herein. In some implementations, theprocessing circuitry may be used to cause the respective functional unitto perform corresponding functions according one or more embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

Abbreviations

At least some of the following abbreviations may be used in thisdisclosure. If there is an inconsistency between abbreviations,preference should be given to how it is used above. If listed multipletimes below, the first listing should be preferred over any subsequentlisting(s).

-   -   CORESET Control Resource Set    -   DCI Downlink Control Information    -   DMRS Demodulation Reference Signal    -   FDM Frequency Division Multiplexing    -   MIB Master Information Block    -   NR New Radio    -   OFDM Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing    -   OS OFDM Symbol    -   PBCH Physical Broadcast Channel    -   PDCCH Physical Downlink Control Channel    -   PDSCH Physical Downlink Shared Channel    -   RMSI Remaining Minimum System Information    -   RV Redundancy Version    -   SCS Subcarrier Spacing    -   SSB Synchronization Signal Block, also known as SS/PBCH block    -   SS/PBCH Synchronization Signal and PBCH (including DMRS of PBCH)

What is claimed is:
 1. A method implemented at a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising: determining time domain resources for downlink shared channel at least according to Control Resource Set (CORESET) configurations. 